Center Develops Tracking Network for GHGs, Renewable Energy

Mar 24, 2008

In coordination with two regional environmental tracking systems, the Center for Resource Solutions launched the Environmental Tracking Network of North America (ETNNA) , the continent's first network organization for renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions tracking systems and registries.

ETNNA will bring together electricity tracking systems, emissions registries, governmental regulators, and interested market participants to promote the coordination and cooperation among environmental tracking systems throughout North America. Such coordination will encourage trade, create a common currency for certificates of generation, prevent double-counting, and support existing and emerging markets for renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions.

ETNNA's role will be particularly beneficial as regional environmental markets continue to grow and collide. By helping resolve compatibility and coordination issues between tracking systems, ETNNA will facilitate the growth of the markets they support.

"This is the first organization of its kind to offer a forum that brings together stakeholders and tracking systems covering this broad geographic scope—across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico," said John Pappas, chair of the Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System Committee.

As part of the group's launch, the Environmental Tracking Network is having a meeting April 14-15 at PG&E Energy Center in San Francisco. The first in-person meeting will cover the treatment of environmental attributes in certificate tracking systems. This initial meeting and subsequent meetings will result in a best practices consensus paper on this topic.